Mayor's paycheck at $60,000

Raise to $79,900 is dropped as city reduces tax hike

Updated 7:28 pm, Wednesday, October 16, 2013

From an actual low of $35,000 to a potential high of $79,900, Mayor George Primeau's annual salary will settle at $60,000 next year.

Primeau's proposed 2014 city budget of $18.2 million included a provision for raising his pay to $79,900.

That recommendation lasted a week. This was a 33 percent increase over his predecessor's 2012 salary of $60,000 and a 128 percent jump over his part-time $35,000 pay scale this year.

Primeau dropped his request for a $79,900 salary as he and the Common Council cut the city's proposed $18.2 million by $70,435 Tuesday night. "That was my intention all along," Primeau said.

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As acting mayor, Primeau decided to take part-time pay and add an executive assistant. He also retained his spot on the Common Council representing the 3rd Ward, but did not get extra pay for holding his multiple titles.

But after 10 months working full time as mayor, Primeau opted to return the post to full-time pay. The $60,000 is what Assemblyman John T. McDonald III, D-Cohoes, earned as mayor in 2012. When McDonald resigned to head to Albany, Primeau came in at the lower rate. He is running unopposed in November to serve the last two years of the four-year term as mayor.

The $70,435 in spending cuts will lower the city's 2014 tax rate. The increase will be 1.3 percent instead of the 2.31 percent originally projected.

The reduction in the projected tax increase would result in the city's tax rate rising by an estimated 22 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation compared to the original hike of 40 cents per $1,000. The 2014 tax rate would be $17.46 per $1,000. The owner of a home assessed at $100,000 would see a $22 increase in his or her annual city tax bill.

Comptroller Mike Durocher will recalculate how the spending cuts will impact the city's 2014 tax levy. In addition to reducing the mayor's salary, other savings came in eliminating a raise for the council members and non-union employees and savings in interest costs.

The council will review the water and sewer budgets Tuesday. The proposed budget did not include changes in the rates, but the city is facing rising costs to deal with sewer improvements.